Stanford football: Grading the Week

Held off posting this until the Oct. 19 kickoff times were announced … and that just happened (many hours later than usual).

Stanford-UCLA is 7 p.m.

No word on whether ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ will broadcast from Stanford — the WWL doesn’t usually make that determination until a week before kickoff.

But my guess … and it’s just a guess … is that Corso and Co. will pitch their tent at Clemson-Florida State.

Result: Beat Washington 31-28

Grade: B

Comment: Plenty of mistakes and the overturned call helped mightily. But the quality of opponent is factored into the grade and Stanford beat a top-12/15-caliber team — that alone is enough for a B.

* Let’s start with the post-game action: Specifically, UW coach Steve Sarkisian’s accusation that Stanford players faked injuries in an attempt to slow down the Huskies.

On his KJR radio show (via SportspressNW.com), Sark said:

“Their defensive line coach (former Washington assistant Randy Hart) was telling them to sit down. I guess that’s how we play here at Stanford, so we’ll have to prepare for that next time. At some point, we’ll get repaid for it. That never serves a purpose for us, and we’ll never do that.”

Sarkisian didn’t name names, but Cardinal linebacker Shayne Skov hobbled off the field in the second half (right knee) and then returned quickly. So did end Ben Gardner (arm/shoulder).

(I was suspicious of LB Chase Thomas’ actions in the ’10 game in Eugene, but as far as Skov and Gardner: No idea, no judgment.)

Asked about his injury, Skov said: “Took a shot. It’s football. Sometimes you get hit. I’m fine, but needed a moment to take care of it.”

Gardner responded to Sarkisian on Twitter: “Skov didn’t take a dive, I didn’t take a dive. Never have never will. Stay classy Washington.”

* No response from Stanford coach David Shaw thus far. I expect him to comment Tuesday during the Pac-12 coaches teleconference and/or his weekly press briefing.

* On the overturned completion with 1:16 left that would have given UW a first down at Stanford’s 33: Sarkisian on Monday reiterated his belief that there wasn’t enough evidence to overturn the call on the field.

I don’t find that to be an unreasonable position.

The video seems to show the ball hitting the ground. But because Kevin Smith’s right hand/arm is not clearly visible during the entire sequence, the replay provides less than overwhelming evidence — and that is, or is supposed to be, the standard.

* Another brilliant gameplan by Washington DC Justin Wilcox.

Until Ty Montgomery caught the TD pass just before halftime, the Cardinal had gone almost six quarters without an offensive touchdown vs. the Huskies.

Stanford was 4 of 14 on third down (far below normal conversion rate) and threw for a paltry 105 yards.

Speaking of that yardage figure:

Kevin Hogan on Saturday: 12-20, 105 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT

Josh Nunes vs. UW last year: 18-37, 170 yds, 0 TD, 1 INT

I’m not defending Nunes, whose performance was widely and justifiably panned. But in fairness: Wilcox is pretty damned good at what he does.

* Montgomery: brilliant.

His 290 all-purpose yards was a career high by not close to Glyn Milburn’s school record (379).

Where Montgomery’s total stands on the school’s all-time list, I cannot say: Stanford doesn’t track the top-10 all-purpose performances.

He proved something to me Saturday. And if that keeps up, Stanford will be very, very tough to beat.

Next up: at Utah.

The matchup: All we can do is project, because the teams missed each other in the first two years of the Pac-12 schedule rotation and haven’t played since the mid-1990s.

* From what I’ve seen of the Utes thus far, this assessment:

Stanford doesn’t have to play its best game to win, but it better be well above average.

* The Utes are tough and well-coached by Kyle Whittingham, and the environment will be rowdy.

Quarterback Travis Wilson is young and prone to mistakes; he’s also capable of making big plays with his arm and legs.

The defense is aggressive but figures to experience a shock to the system, as most teams do when facing the Cardinal for the first time — nobody plays the way Stanford plays and nobody practices the way Stanford plays, except for a few days each year.

* Utah was in position to beat Oregon State and UCLA but couldn’t make enough plays at end. That state-of-being can change quickly, especially if given enough opportunities.

Jon Wilner

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you are correct sir. gameday is waiting for nov. 7th (like the rest of the nation)… unless (and i’m only half joking) the bc eagles can pull off and upset the likes of which has not been seen since oct. 6, 2007… which would take the air out of that clemson-fl. state game… but i wouldn’t put it pass them to bypass up a potential matchup of two top 10 pac 12 teams, for florida-mizzou (lol)… oddly enough oct. 19 could feature matchups pitting two sets of top 10 teams. really fabulous stuff!

Sean McGraw

Game Day doesn’t do Thurs nights…

Kara

gotta say, I’m sick of, and disgusted with, the complaints and poor sportshmanship of the UW fans and their coach. Their players played a phenomenal game Saturday night, and rather than focus on that, they are complaining about “fake injuries” (that sure looked real to me from where I was sitting on the 40 Saturday night) and the replay officials’ call on the trapped ball on 4th and 10 (which clearly looked like a trapped ball real time – the travesty was the original call on the field, not the final call on replay).
I was so impressed with the team’s play, but all I have heard from UW since the end of the game are laments and whining – excuses for why they didn’t win – that I can only hold the UW coach and fans in disdain for the classless losers they are. Their players deserve better than that.

bignasty96

Stanford was clearly and obviously faking injuries. Like they had been watching the Premier League. Pretty lame on Stanford’s part.

el Palo

Yes, why don’t the UDub fans focus on the ridiculous number of drive killing or drive enabling (for Stanford) penalties.

casey_mullins

as best I could tell, the brilliant defensive strategy consisted of sending all three linebackers wherever the Stanford fullback went. Almost always that’s where the run went.. This isn’t rocket science people, this is football. Shaw can’t continue to say,” oh, we don’t care if they know…blah blah…shove it down their throats.. blah blah…tunnel workers…blah blah…” Not saying there wasn’t more to the plan, but that is how they stuffed the run, and that was the biggest part of Stanford’s offensive failure. You think Utah, et al don’t watch film? watch it yourself.

PDXbeaver

Do you know the start time for Oregon State at Cal on10/19? Everywhere says TBD

NorCal Tree

Get a clue BN96: You wouldn’t have one of your top defensive players take a dive and then sit out for three more plays. Skov (All American) took a shot to the knee that has been shown by Durk and others. Gardner responded well to weak comments by Sark. Just what I would expect from a Stanford student athlete. Let’s see what Tosh does when Oregon turns up the heat on your D this weekend. Good game, but you lost. Good luck…especially when Sark heads back to SC.

Futbol Thots

I think UW’s defensive strategy was brilliant. But I think more needs to be said about overarching strategies. Is Stanford’s offense (read Kevin Hogan) still so inexperienced that Shaw needs to button down the offense when he gets up by ten points? More on that here: http://futbolthots.blogspot.com/.

Also, I think the hurry up offense needs to have some limits, just like they do in baseball with the batter and pitcher (no “quick-pitch.”) Fast paced is fine. It benefits organization and stamina and prevents specialty substitutions. But taken to extreme, its bush league.

casey_mullins

actually the Tea Party would be a better role model for faking injuries and stopping the game.

Donald King

Yup. Unfortunately. Oregon-Stanford could be the national game of the year this season.

Bootlegger

@BN96: How can you tell they were faking? Let us all know. It is really lame to just make up stuff like that.
The UW players really deserve better fans than you and the other whiners..

Cardinal Rule

I could not agree more. Last year, you didn’t hear Stanford players or coaches whining about the refs call at the goal line.

Cardinal Rule

I heard one announcer call this style of play “organized backyard football.” It is not going away because it gives teams an obvious advantage against a team like Stanford’s. We will just have to get used to it until the next fad comes along.

TahoeCard

Keep seeing their fans complain of the phantom penalties like the 2 hands to the face calls. #71 made them both and almost takes off Dansers helmet on the first one.

Bootlegger

I am glad that Stanford has faced UW and ASU prior to facing Oregon. Oregon is better (and faster) than both of them, but I think Stanford will be as well prepared as possible for the pace of the duck offense.

206 Cardinal

In an earlier post, Wilner suggested Utah could be a trap game, and I think I scoffed at that. my bad. i still think we will win by 14-17, but I now agree the Utes are to be taken seriously after what they showed against Ucla. I don’t think they have the team speed to stress our defense like Washington did, but they are improving.

stephen rollins

could not agree more. Stanford heavy looks pretty big (and dumb) now that New heist el has spilled the beans last year. Dogs had a sub pkg ready to go any time. As to all this injury stuff. Why does not Shaw simply use time outs? He has six a game. The puppy td before halftime cried out for it at the 45 or so.

stephen rollins

Mullins, it looks like your egg is really a bal-oot. You have half your chick formed, but the analogy with government is lame. If you want a role model, try the incessant holding by the puppies on every offensive play I watched from the 50. The refs just got tired of calling them.

stephen rollins

Perhaps the most disgusting display was the dogfans yelling and woofin during the National Anthem. Even in Cleveland, better sportsmanship
and class.

Darius

i heard that the weenies have decided to forfeit the rest of the season, so congrats to you pdx, you can chalk that up as a w for your beavers.

stephen rollins

If the Stanford Offense could pass, none of this would be relevant. That and that alone has been the problem for two years. Its nice to kick up dust or run over your opponents outstreached fingers as he lays on the grass, but nothing substitutes for imaginative formations and using the “almost” pick plays when you do not have a set of fast recievers. Ty did beautifully. but college and pros have caught on to the “Heavy” sub pkg and put in their own. If our TEs are not ready for prime time, the pkg has no credibility. To run six times on the last two series of downs prior to the disputed call is not worthy, simply not worthy of a Great Western University who has produced Lofton, Hill, Margurum, McCaffery, Brodie, Elway, Plunket and the future stars now getting their pro shine on.

In defense of the run game, why only one sweep? If the O line is so great, this ought to garner 80 yds a game.

TheCardinalRules

It will be determined last since neither team will be a factor in any conference race and few if any care

TheCardinalRules

Blame UW’s classless scumbag sore loser hypocrite of a head coach for making the focus everything BUT the great play of the team and the unreal play of Keith Price.

TheCardinalRules

Given that the Stanford-UCLA game is going to be on Fox, I don’t see Gameday coming until Nov 30 against ND if they come at all.

That would be some serious egg on Bristol’s face if Stanford wins the NCG and they never come all year

Cardinal Rule

In case you haven’t seen this, Coach Shaw responds to Coach Sarkesian:

Here’s a link to a recording of Coach Shaw’s press conference. Shaw is justifiably upset and it comes across in his tone – he won’t be having dinner with Sark any time soon. Listen to it and see what you think – I agree with Shaw, the post game comments from the UW coach were class deficient and not among his finer moments. Hopefully none of the UW fans here were among those booing on Saturday night but Skov ended up getting an MRI due on his surgically repaired knee for the supposedly faked hit. (Negative thankfully.)

You have to love David Shaw calling out Sark on the injury and the ref whining. He’s found his mini-Pete Carroll. Looking at the picture of their handshake it looks like next year’s game should be fun…unless mini pete moves back to SC. Shaw’s quote about beating UW five out of six times is perfect. Contrast in style and in class.

Darius

oh yes, its going to be a great game next year (and without price…)

TheCardinalRules

Oh it’ll be even more fun if Sark is the U$C HC

Candid One

It’s surprising that UW fans have managed to make Oregon fans seem classy in comparison.

Candid One

Actually, Hogan was missing too many attempts in the first half. At one point, I caught myself thinking “where’s Nottingham?” Not.

But Kevin hasn’t been as composed in action as his legend requires. The number of passes isn’t so meaningful as the quality. On some of his forced attempts, he had other receivers open so the coverage was hardly thorough.

Candid One

Sark will have to live with that comment, charming as it wasn’t. The older alums aren’t going to be proud of his shamelessness. Maybe Justin Wilcox will be HC sooner than later.

stephen rollins

you must have seen things I did not. I saw fairly well covered receivers. Certainly not the open throws provided courtesy WAZZU and ASU. Hogan missed a couple, but that is no excuse for the runs when we needed first downs. Even Ty on the touchdown pass was purty well covered.

stephen rollins

Sorry Mr. King. From what I saw as a loyal Stanford Fan (and 40 years of game experience on either side of me) Oregon should be favored by 14. The Offensive game plan stunk, and the defense has dug itself a hole by partyin too late too often early in the season. Refs watch tape too.

stephen rollins

read the article as far as “(Stanford’s Pro Style Offense”). I have twenty pounds of halibut steak for the first person who can name any pro program that went to the playoffs in the last 3 years (besides Tebowers) with a run pass ratio of approximately two to one. Stanford quit running a pro style offense after Luck. Pros pass. others cannot.

Donald King

Well, you’ve got a decade on me as a student/fan/alum. And, I hear you. I think Oregon will be favored, perhaps heavily. Just as they were last season. But if both teams are unbeaten, and with the game in our building… I think Coavh Shaw is still holding back on the offensive game plans (which makes me nervous…), and, well, we’ll see what our defense can do this season. After last year’s shocking win, I’ll hold out hope that we can do it again.

stephen rollins

well said.

casey_mullins

sorry, that would be impossible.

casey_mullins

In spite of the stories of Gaffney loving contact, I don’t see him or Wilkerson being interested in laying the wood to tacklers. Not at all like S Taylor. Seems like they just stop and jiggle their feet when confronted. I can’t argue too much with their results, but between that and the lack of deception in the play designs, I remain concerned about Utah and other good defenses shutting them down, as Washington did, just by keying on the fullback.

Donald King

UCLA/Homecoming game moved to 12:30 Pacific on ABC/ESPN2 reverse mirror. Interesting choice for the ESPN suits now: UCLA-Stanford or FSU-Clemson? I’d bet on the latter, but the odds of CGD coming to The Farm increased with this switch, despite being in Seattle the week prior.